Wheel of Change
by Fawn of the woods
Summary: Naruto wants to help Gaara. Next in my series. NarHin NejiTen ShikaTem
1. To Be Prepared is Half the Victory

this is part of my series. I recommend you read the rest of the stories, otherwise parts of this will make little sense to you

First story: True Friends Truly Believe /s/3953609/1/

Previous: Family is a collection of Love, Hope and Trust /s/4854903/1/

I redid parts of Family is a collection of lover, hope and Trust

_**Disclaimer:**_Me own nothing, but Haruka and Hiroto and if you want to use them go ahead, just let me know so I can see!

**_To Be Prepared is Half the Victory_**

Jiro took a drink of his water as he sighed. He was one of three guards on the entrance today. It was another scorcher, the sun was beating down on them and no rain in sight. He was glad he was used to it. Setting the water down he waved to his partners and got up to stretch slightly. He was looking over the sand when he spotted two figures coming their way.

"Oi, Saki, Misuke, is there anyone coming in today?" The other two shook their heads. They were now also looking at the figures. They were probably an hour out still but what else was there to really look at? They sighed and prepared to greet the two strangers.

An hour later, the two strangers made it to the entrance. As planned, Misuke asked them for their story, while Jiro and Saki kept them in their sights. Saki was also keeping the rest of the entrance in her sights in case this was a distraction. Misuke waved them through as their papers checked out as travelers; Uzu Orenji and Uzu Tora.

They were obviously shinobi. But they were from Konoha and on leave. Konoha was currently a friend, therefore their shinobi were welcome to take a vacation in this village. Still, Misuke made not e to inform the patrol leader of their guests. The two of them stepped inside the village and breathed deeply. The boy, who had way too much color in Jiro's opinion, suddenly pumped his hands up and gave a great shout.

"Yosh!"

000

Hiashi sat calmly on the rock as he watched Hinata and Neji train. They had started with Juuken and Hinata had asked some very good questions. Some of those questions had never been addressed before to Hiashi's knowledge. Now they were working with water from Hinata's pond. Neji was doing well. Hiashi watched as the water swirled around the Hyuuga as he concentrated. Hinata was waiting until he had control before testing the water.

Hiashi thought hard as he stroked Hoshi. Hinata had developed much of her water wielding on her own. She had explained what Mui had taught her and the new forms. But to Hinata, and even to Hiashi, the forms were vastly different to the forms she used already. In fact, her use of Juuken was different then what was taught, even though now she knew how to use it better then she used to, it was still used differently. She moved as if gravity only effected her opponent. Juuken uses gravity, not only to move the opponent but to speed up one's own motion. She ignored gravity as it applied to her. Hiashi wasn't sure what to make of that.

He also wasn't sure who to ask. He didn't know many shinobi that ignored gravity. He had to ask someone though, because, until the mystery was solved, Hinata's use of Juuken would be skewed. He finally had asked Gai to stop by this afternoon, in the hopes that the Taijutsu master could at least give him a hint.

Hiashi was drawn back to reality when Hoshi scooted up his sleeve and over his shoulder. Looking up, he moved almost on instinct to avoid getting soaked by a random water stream that Neji had temporarily ignored. Hiashi knew he was getting better. When they hd started an hour ago, him ignoring a stream meant it burst and fell to the ground. Now it at least kept its shape. He shook his head slightly, thanking Hoshi for the warning as he sat down on one of the few dry spots in the yard. He watched on as Hinata moved in and out of the water, again as if she was ignoring gravity. She wasn't trying to defeat him but rather push his control to its limits. His was supposed to soak her. So far she had a wet sleeve and that was it. Hiashi looked at it enviously. He was only watching and he had been soaked twice by now. Hinata had done this interesting trick where she had pulled all the water off of him. It worked for the most part.

He was drawn to the entrance when he felt Gai arrive. After greeting his old teammate, they wandered back to the yard as Hiashi explained what he needed. He didn't describe Hinata's style anymore then not being the regular Juuken. Gai nodded as they entered the yard.

Neji and Hinata were resting as they waited for Hiashi. He had warned them about having a visitor to watch the Juuken practice. Neji stood and looked at his sensei. They talked for a few minutes as Hiashi asked Hinata if she would mind sparing with Neji in Juuken again.

Gai watched as they bowed and started. Barely 20 seconds into the spar his smile left his face as he concentrated on Hinata and Neji and comparing them with his own knowledge of Juuken. He never used it, but after working with Hiashi and now Neji, he was pretty familiar with it. He could see what had Hiashi worried. Hinata's style was different. He frowned as he thought on it.

After they were done, Neji winning by a hair, the two went to meet Hanabi. Gai turned to Hiashi as the clanhead set out some tea.

"You are correct, her style is different. In fact, its not the style that is different but the way her body has adapted to it." Hiashi looked at him as he continued. "Every body has its own way of moving through the world. We teach movements, but the truest way the body understands them is slightly different for every person. However, many people have similar responses. That is how a sensei can find a student that fit together, their bodies react in a similar fashion. Hinata's body is reacting in a fashion different from your family." Gai looked at his cup as he took a drink. As such he missed Hiashi's eyes widening. Gai looked over the garden in content. "Ask Ebisu." Hiashi looked at him in confusion. Ebisu was a teacher for pre-genin.

"How could Ebisu help me?" Gai set the now empty cup down. "He teaches those younger then genin." Gai nodded.

"He does, because he can adapt his body to that of most body types. He should be able to tell you who in the village would be best suited to help Hinata. Her spirit will shine!" Gai gave his thumbs up and disappeared.

Hiashi sat and thought.

000

Haruka breathed a deep sigh of relief.

Suna.

She had missed the villages. Suna hadn't changed all that much on the surface. She smiled as her hyper nephew jumped around in glee. She was glad he already had an alias, thus all she had to do was come up with a matching one. She was used to alias and wasn't worried about a new one. She watched as Naruto, now Orenji, calmed down a little.

"Okay, Okay, I know I know, now we get to go and find Gaara. and Kankuro and Temari and-" She sighed.

"Hold it!" He stopped dead and looked at her. "First off, we need to find someone either strangers can get to or someone who will recognize you. The Kazekage will be too heavily guarded. Second the first thing we are going to do is eat." She smiled mentally as his mind caught up with his costume change. Then the mention of food got him started.

"Gotcha, I'm hungry for some non-campfire made ramen! Then Hiroto should be here somewhere. He'll recognize me." Haruka nodded as the blonde thought.

"That we can do. If the village hasn't changed much, the market, including restaurants, should be down there." She pointed down a street and off they went.

000

Asuma had been just sitting in the tree, minding his own business when Gai ran past him. He could hear the thundering as Gai approached, but he figured the green attired shinobi would go _around_ the tree, not through it. Asuma was now standing looking down in sadness at his destroyed perch when Hiashi found him. At a questioning glance in Gai direction the Hyuuga explained that he had once again lost a bet with Kakashi. That was enough for both of them.

Asuma sighed as he waited for Hiashi to explain why he had come out here. Years ago he would struck up a conversation, thinking the clanhead was bored and was simply looking for company. But Hiashi hadn't looked for him for company in over a decade. He wished they could repair the damage done to their friendship, but Hiashi didn't seem of like mind.

"Gai suggested I go to Ebisu for help with my daughter." Asuma nodded. Gai's suggestion, regardless of their tone, usually were for the best, except in his fashion sense. If Asuma thought about it, he was sure Gai was the only Shinobi whose attire for missions had ever been regulated. Still Gai did know his stuff, better then most realized actually.

"Gai usually has a reason for his suggestion." Hiashi frowned as he looked in the direction of the Tai master.

"Yes, he does. and it is usually a very good one." He looked back at Asuma. "I didn't expect to find you out here. I would have thought you'd be playing Shikamaru today, what with Kurenai gone third day in a row and him just back." Asuma glanced his way. Hiashi hadn't kept track of him for nearly 15 years, but when he wants to keep track of someone, he sure could do it.

"I wanted some peace." He had also wanted to check and see if his message had been answered, with no such luck.

"I was going to hunt down Ebisu in a few minutes. I wondering if you'd come and give your opinion as well." Asuma raised an eyebrow.

"I'm no expert. Besides, if you asked Gai, then its a taijutsu thing, and that isn't my specialty." Hiashi looked down slightly as he felt the gap between them.

"I wanted your personal opinion." Hiashi hesitated. "Also, I trust you more then I do Ebisu." Asuma snorted slightly.

"That doesn't change the fact that I don't have the know-how you require, Hiashi." Asuma turned away. "I can't help you."

"Ichijin..." Asuma stopped dead. "I- My daughter- I need your help." Asuma looked at Hiashi, who was staring at the ground, hands fisted. He had always been a proud person. Asking for something, beside a duty was hard. But, now, he was struggling. Something was worrying him. Ichijin. That was a nickname between the three of them. They had never used it in the larger group. Hiashi wasn't looking for his opinion as a shinobi. He was looking for a friend. Asuma sighed.

When the three of them first got together, Hiashi had been standoffish. He had grown a lot during those years, but this was the first time Asuma could remember the proud Hyuuga asking directly for help. When he made a request he usually demanded it in a gentle way, but there was ever any doubt as to if it would be done. Now, Asuma could see, Hiashi was looking at him as a friend. And Asuma knew that his friend needed help.

"So why are we observing Chibi-Hina, ummm?" Hiashi looked up at him in relief for a split second before schooling his expression. Asuma's acceptance combined with his old name for Hinata was reassuring. Hiashi sighed gratefully as he explained what was happening to one of his oldest friends as the two of them went to find the teacher.

000

The market was no more crowded then usual. One shopkeeper was amazed though. He had a wildly painted shinobi and his kooky sister sitting at his little ramen shop. What was more bizarre then their attire, though the girl's wasn't nearly as bad as his, was the shear amount of ramen they were consuming. The boy was on his fifth bowl already. He shook his head as he started a daily bowl. He set in on one end of the counter and waited. This customer was rarely late. In fact, he had timed his ramen to be just cooling as the customer usually sat down.

The girl, Tora, looked over at the bowl.

"Expecting a regular?" The shopkeeper nodded as he gave another bowl to each of them. She smiled as her brother dove in immediately. He kept watching until he noticed his regular customer approaching.

Gaara always frequented a certain booth. He liked it. It was quiet and usually not very crowded. He tried to keep a low profile when he ate there. He had barely sat down, his current "guards" still a few feet behind him, when the woman already sitting there gave him a wave. He nodded and ate, trying to not stare at the boy accompanying her. When the boy finally did put down his sixth bowl and looked over he nearly toppled out of his chair in surprise. Gaara sighed and waited for him to recognize him as the Kage, or a monster, which ever.

"Gaara!" He looked up in surprise. That wasn't what most people called him in the village. At this point, his so called bodyguards, which were really his brother and his friend, caught up with him. Kankuro looked at the boy with slight suspicion and complete confusion. Hiroto, on the other hand, smiled widely.

"Bushin!" The strange boy looked at him.

"Hiroto?" They both let out a joyful yell as they clasped hands, talking at once, excitedly.

"How are you?"

"How are you?"

"You're here?"

"You're alright?"

"Look at you!"

"Look at me? Look at you!" Finally the female in the group seemed to have enough of the go around.

"Orenji!" Both stopped instantly. "Can I assume this is the friend you meant earlier?" Orenji nodded enthusiastically.

"Yeah, this is Hiroto. He and I went through our Chunin exam together. Say Hiroto. We gotta talk. C'mere." Orenji took the jinchuuriki aside as the girl sat back down with a huff.

"Miss, your bill." She smiled at the shopkeeper as she paid the bill. Hiroto came back with Orenji a few minutes later, much calmer. Hiroto walked over to Gaara.

"Kazekage, I have a request to make."

000

Hinata was walking home with Neji and Hanabi from Konohamaru's. Her kidnapping had scared Hanabi pretty badly, though she was trying not to show it. She was sticking with people she trusted more now. In the last week, she had grown up tremendously. She told her schedule to either Neji, Hinata or Hiashi in the morning. She also was helping them keep an eye on the branch members, intervening when the counsel was acting out of turn.

Currently she was explaining to Hinata how the defense in the hospital worked. Hinata was thrilled. Both that her sister was learning a lot, safely, and that she was talking to her. Hinata had always wanted a better relationship with her sister. Now she had one. She stopped when Neji stopped in front of her. She looked up as Hanabi quieted. Suddenly, Neji shoved her backwards, towards the wall.

Hinata pushed her sister behind her as the attacker leaped to the ground. Make that attackers, plural, as all three Hyuuga activated their byakugan. Hinata pulled Hanabi around her as she met an attack head on. Neji was fending off two of them. She saw another two head for him, but three was all she could handle. Luckily, she needn't worry.

Just as they headed for her cousin, they were intercepted by a kick. Neji fell back slightly, letting their helpers come in. Neji main concern was Hinata and Hanabi, not complete defeat of the enemy. Besides, his uncle and Asuma were good enough help. Hinata smiled slightly as Hoshi ran up her leg. She had felt her mistress go into battle mode and had yanked on Hiashi's leg until he came.

Hinata continued to fight the two near her, keeping one eye on her sister, who was throwing kunai from the sidelines. Until a hand reached down and pulled her out of the way entirely. Hinata tensed until she recognized Ebisu. She nodded and turned her attention to the fight. There were four Konohajin verses 11 of them, whoever they were. She needed to even the playing field a little. Moving closer to Neji, she let him take over on of her guys so she could concentrate more. There was no large body of water, but everyone was working up a good sweat. She opened her water bottle. She heard a small yip and saw that Hoshi had collected the other's water bottles. She was really grateful for that fox. She felt Mui's reminder that she was in the middle of a fight. She drew all the water into the air allowing the wind to rustle and mist it a bit.

Giving her opponent an extra kick, she leaped back until she was level with Ebisu, behind Neji.

"Kashoku o Terikaeshiteiru!" Suddenly most of the enemies grabbed there eyes in pain. They were easily defeated at that. Hinata returned the water to the water bottles as Asuma dealt with tying up the bad guys and notifying Ibiki. Hinata and Hanabi talked nearly the entire time this was happening. Ibiki would get the story out of the men.

Hiashi had another story to work with. He waited until they were all back at the compound and eating lunch before he asked though.

"Hinata, what was the attack you used?" Hinata looked up from her meal to her father. She set down her chopsticks as she moved to explain.

"Kashoku o Terikaeshiteiru is an attack I developed on my own, using my ability with my element. It manipulated the water crystals to reflet the sunlight, like it does off of a pond, and blind my opponent." Neji was reminded of the duel that Hiashi had found out about the water technique. The flash of light, it was this technique, probably in its raw form.

"So you simply spin the water until it catches the light at the right angle?" Ebisu's question was met with a quiet, but firm nod. Neji sensed this was a topic, she was done discussing.

Hiashi must have sensed it as well, because he moved on to why he had called Ebisu and Asuma here.

"You want us to spar again?" Hinata was looking at her father as Neji asked the question on her mind. Hiashi nodded. He looked at his daughter.

"I am trying to understand your style Hinata. I want outside opinions." Hinata nodded stiffly. She wished he would stop with-holding this type of concern from her. She was scolded by Mui for that thought. Father's are allowed to be worried about their daughters. She nodded to Neji, they could spar after lunch had settled.

000

Haruka had to hand it to Naruto, he certainly had good friends.

----------------_Flashback-----------------------_

_"Kazekage, I have a request." Gaara looked at Hiroto. "My friends here need to speak to you in private." Kankuro stepped forward._

_"are you sure we can trust them." Hiroto smiled._

_"I trust him with my life. And so do you Kazekage." Gaara had looked at him a moment before looking over at Naruto-in-disguise. Slowly he nodded._

_"Hiroto, please find my sister and met us in room 342." Hiroto smiled and nodded. He then poofed out. Naruto looked over at the his stack of six bowls and Haruka's stack of three._

_"I guess I out ate you." Haruka smiled._

_"Actually this is my second stack. The first had five in it. You were too intent on eating to notice the man remove it." Naruto's face dropped comically before Kankuro called their attention._

_"Now that we have all finished our lunch, shall we go?"_

_------------------------End Flashback_------------------------

They had been led to this room. Now Haruka watched as Hiroto returned with a blonde girl about her age. They settled down to talk.

Naruto smiled as he saw Haruka place a shield around the room. He stood up and stretched.

"That's a relief." He looked at Haruka, but she had already said she trusted his judgment on these people. "Hiroto, how have you been, now that we can actually talk." Hiroto smiled.

"I've been great. I'm part of a squad here. Suzaku is having the time of her life." Gaara and Temari tensed up at this point and Kankuro stood.

"What did you mean 'now that we can actually talk'? Who are you two?" Naruto glanced at Haruka and formed a seal. It made the paint on his body invisible for the moment. Kankuro and Temari stared at Naruto in utter shock. Gaara, on the other hand, looked like his eyes would pop out of their sockets, they were so wide. Naruto turned to Kankuro.

"Onee-sensei placed a barrier around this room. No matter what we do, as long as its up, the people outside will see us sitting, having tea and talking about weather and plants. Cool huh!" Kankuro nodded, dazed slightly. Temari was now watching with a reserved look on her face. Gaara's expression had neutralized. In truth, none of them were calm.

Kankuro was trying to wrap his head around this person and the brat he knew at the beginning of the chunin exams so long ago. Also, how this woman had done such a powerful seal with any paper seals. It was interesting.

Temari was in turmoil. She had known from Shikamaru that everyone in Konoha was eagerly awaiting news of Naruto, but he was in hiding, training for another 7 months at least. Here he was. With a sensei she had ever heard of before who could do a powerful jutsu without anyone knowing. She was going to hold her opinions to herself for a while.

Gaara was probably the least calm on the inside. When he had first met them, they had been interesting, refreshing. When he found out they were such a good friend with Hiroto, he wanted to meet them if only to meet another friend of a jinchuuriki. However, when Naruto had shed his disguise, he had froze. The behavior suddenly made all the more sense. He felt like an explosion took place in the pit of his stomach. This was the person who had shown him that he could be someone. Shown his the way out of the shadow-filled loneliness. He had become Kazekage, had siblings that cared, had friends, had students, a village, because of this shinobi. And now he was here, in Gaara's world now. The urge to reach for his friendship was strong, the fear that it would be rejected was fierce, though unfounded. He didn't know what to think.

"Actually Onee-sensei is here to do us a favor." Naruto was talking to Hiroto. The woman stood, also removing her disguise. Everyone's attention was drawn from her immediately though as Hiroto gave a yelp. She simply smiled.

"Yes, I can sense Suzaku, too." She turned to the others in the room. "I contain Byaka, the 7-tailed tiger of the Bijuu." A few things clicked into place with Gaara and Temari. Kankuro didn't wait for things to click into place.

"Another Jinchuuriki? Those demons are everywhere." While she frowned at Kankuro, Hiroto responded.

"Kankuro, I've told you before, the Bijuu aren't bad." Kankuro frowned at him, but with a glance in Gaara's direction he sat down. He hated the life his brother had lived because of his bijuu.

"That isn't entirely accurate, Hiroto." They all turned to her again. "Isonade, 3-tailed shark, and Orochi, 8-tailed snake are evil as our society describes it. However the rest of the Bijuu have the same moralities as the rest of their race." She was eyed with some scepticism. Kankuro again responded.

"What about Shukaku? He's bloodthirsty." She frowned.

"Which is why I'm here." She turned to Naruto. "Naruto, may we see your seal?" He lifted his shirt and concentrated.

"When I developed this seal, it was designed to allow communication between the Jinchuuriki and the Bijuu. I'm here to examine the seal you have." She looked at Gaara. "I sense, and Byaka agrees, that your Bijuu is in pain, and is muted somehow. We do not understand." Gaara glanced at his siblings, and then at Naruto and Hiroto. Slowly he stood and set down his gourd.

"Gaara-"

"She should at least look, Brother." He opened his shirt and concentrated himself. A seal appeared on his back right at the base of his neck. The woman came over and placed her hand over it. She looked at it a moment before closing her eyes and activating her kekkei genkai. Her purple eyes stared at it a moment before she backed off, revert her eyes to normal.

"Your seal is fascinating." Kankuro growled at the term as Gaara put his shirt back on. She took out a piece of paper and drew two spirals on it. "Spirals are used in seals in one of two ways. The first is a spiral that takes chakra and it flows through the spiral, gaining momentum, until it comes out stronger then before, and the second is the charka comes into the spiral and looses momentum as it flows. All chakra has a direction it naturally spirals in. In both of your seals, the spiral is designed to increase the strength of the chakra and then fed it into the seal, thus sealing the bijuu with its own chakra. Naruto's seal is the first one" she pointed to the spiral on the left, "it is in the direction the chakra flows and as it increases it becomes focused. Your seal, however, is the second one. As the chakra gains more power, it also looses focus, it becomes chaotic. Generally chaotic chakra is thrust at one's enemies in the form of a general destruction jutsu. However, your seal is sealing it, forcing it back on itself and Shukaku continuously. Bijuu are more chakra then we are. If he isn't completely insane in that seal, it wasn't for lack of trying." Temari and Kankuro looked at Gaara thoughtfully. All three reviewed everything they remembered learning about Shukaku. Hiroto looked at Naruto.

"Say, Naruto, Suzaku wants to know if you can summon Youko yet." Naruto nodded at the abrupt question. "She wants to talk, to both Youko and Byaka, if possible." Both Jinchuuriki nodded and a white tiger, red fox, and golden bird were summoned and stood to one corner chatting. Temari turned to them.

"Are you saying that all the nightmares, we've dealt with, all the danger associated with Shukaku is because he's insane?" The woman nodded.

"With the exception of the two I mentioned, bijuu are not that bad. Shukaku has been the Ichiban for a millennia. He is the symbol for wisdom in their realm." Temari didn't look convinced. "If they were bad they would have been free a long time ago." Temari's eyes widened.

"What do you mean?" She smiled sadly.

"Human seals cannot keep a Bijuu sealed. What they do is create a situation where to leave would kill someone." She was met with confusion. "Bijuu seals mix the bijuu's chakra with the Jinhuuriki's. As such the Jinchuuriki can survive maybe two weeks without the Bijuu, provided, of course, they survive the release." Temari sat down, this was all starting to fit with what she had learned when she was with Shikamaru and Sakura at Shinsui Temple. Kankuro sat forward at this point.

"If Shukaku could get out, he would have left a long time ago!" Tora nodded.

"I believe that the insanity in this case has the double effect of keeping him for focusing his chakra. I don't think he is able to leave on his own. However none of his friends would release him. It is a circle." Temari frowned in confusion slightly, but Gaara spoke for the first time in a while.

"Why wouldn't his friends free him?" Tora looked over and called Suzaku over. The phoenix hopped over, followed by the tiger and fox. "Suzaku, you and Shukaku are pretty good friends, ne?" Suzaku nodded.

"Since before I joined the Bijuu."

"What would Shukaku do if someone released him right now from Gaara-san?" Suzaku looked at Gaara as she thought. After a moment she answered slowly.

"If he didn't kill himself immediately out of guilt for causing Gaara's death, in addition to the deaths his presence has inadvertently caused, he would live in complete seclusion, giving up his title and all contact for the rest of his natural life, forgoing healing and communication. So would I. So would Youko, Byaka, Mui, Genbu, and Seiryu." Her voice was the most solemn Hiroto had ever heard. He didn't doubt for a minute how serious she was. Tora nodded to the bird. Temari spoke up.

"If that is true then why are you here?"

000

Hinata panted as she faced off with Neji, again. They had been at it for 10 minutes. This time they were simply sparing, not really trying to one up the other, but just a back and forth. Neji was also panting. He looked like he was enjoying the round. Hinata was glad to be able to finally keep up with him.

Just as she charged forward again, Ebisu called a stop to the spar. He looked at Hinata a moment, then over to Hiashi.

"Hiashi-dono, I believe I understand your concern. Do not share it. Hinata will do fine in this style, provided she is allowed to learn it in her own way." Hiashi just stared at him as he walked over to the two chunin. "Neji, perform a series of moves Hinata hasn't practiced yet." Neji glanced back at Hiashi, who nodded, and pulled off a complex move that was a few more lessons ahead of Hinata.

Ebisu nodded. He looked at Hinata.

"Did you catch most of that?" She looked at it uncertainly. "Neji, one more time please. Hinata, try to focus on the body positions, not the goal of each movement." Hinata nodded and watched again. This time she thought she saw it all. But she didn't think she could reproduce it.

"Hinata, close your eyes. Picture each position in your mind. Not the movement, but each position." Hinata did as she was told. She pictured the eight positions in order. She did it again. The third time, the watchers saw her hands come up. The fourth time her feet moved as well. The fifth time she performed each position separately. Ebisu nodded.

"Now watch me as I perform these positions." He went through the positions separately. His strikes were off, but that was because he had never had the Byakugan. This move would never help him. The second time he went through it, he melded the positions together. Hinata watched as the movements became one motion, but this was different then Neji's motion. She closed her eyes and breathed. When he went through it again, slowly, she followed next to him. He stood and nodded.

"Now, on your own, add your knowledge of the style and adjust for your size." Hinata close her eyes, and in a speed that rivaled Neji's, she performed the move beautifully. Hiashi looked on in confusion. Her performance still had that feeling of a lack of gravity. Ebisu turned to Neji.

"Do you know the counter for this move?" At his nod, Ebisu beckoned him over. Hinata and Neji faced off. They pulled into position and Hinata began the move. Neji countered as he was taught. They stepped back.

"Good. Now Hinata, relax. You already can perform this move. Now when you perform the move this time, pull your eyes out of focus and use your other senses. Now one more time please." Neji countered again. But this time it was different. Every part of the counter simply met with air as her attack landed gently. He saw her move and was keeping up,but the counter was simply not working. When they stopped, Hinata opened her eyes and looked at Neji a moment before looking at Ebisu. The teacher was nodding in approval. He turned towards the porch.

"Hiashi-dono, your daughter has a different body type then the rest of your family. Her jutsu will never be the style you tried to teach her, rather her style will be equally deadly and commanding. I suggest that you have Asuma, or another wind user, work with her for a while to have her hone her element." He bowed as he finished his report and poofed off, job complete.

Everyone present just stared at the spot he had been. They all had the same question on their minds.

_What on earth just happened?_

000

Haruka smiled as she gathered her thoughts to answer the question posed.

"I am here to modify your seal, Gaara-san." She was met with varying looks of confusion and disbelief. "I helped design Naruto's seal. I can replace your current seal with his." Hiroto jumped up immediately.

"You mean he'll be able to talk to Shukaku?" She nodded.

"And more. Naruto's seal is designed to integrate their chakra so he can use it safely. He can talk to and listen to Youko. When he dies, Youko will automatically be returned to the dimension of the demons." Hiroto smiled widely. Temari still looked skeptical. Kankuro glanced towards Gaara.

"And the nightmares?" Haruka looked at him in question. He elaborated "Gaara doesn't sleep for two reasons; Shukaku's personality would destroy his, and he has terrible nightmares." Haruka frowned.

"If those are coming form Shukaku, it is probably a result of his mental instability. It will take him a day or two free of this seal's influence before he can think straight again." Haruka looked for the next question when the object of the discussion spoke up.

"What do you need?" She looked at Gaara gently.

"Space and time more then anything. We shouldn't be in a village, but in the woods. Only those present now should be there, unless another Jinchuuriki is around here somewhere. We will need an evening to set up. A day to perform, and a night to sleep it off. Naruto and I have everything else we need." Gaara nodded slightly as he stood.

"The day after tomorrow, meet my siblings and I at the north wood border. Hiroto, leave with them. It is best we do not leave together." All present nodded. Gaara stood and motioned to the door. Within a few minutes, Naruto and Haruka placed their disguises back on and Haruka had lowered the shield. Gaara left to prepare. He had much to do.

Hiroto suggested they walk around Suna for the rest of the day and leave on the morning. Haruka had fun walking behind the two hyper Jiinchuuriki through the city

000

Hinata was the first in the yard to recall her wits.

"How could a wind user help me hone my element?" She wasn't answered aloud, but rather mentally.

**_By training your element, dear._**

_I don't understand, My elemant is Water._

_**No, my element is water, so you can use it. Your element is wind.**_

_But I was using water before I became a Jinchuuriki_

_**This seal is designed to pass me from mother to daughter at birth. It is likely that even though I didn't pass to you at birth, a part of me tried. I'm afraid I don't know much about the circumstances surrounding your birth**._

_Actually, neither do I. I'll ask._

_**Speaking of which, they are trying to get your attention.**_

Hinata returned to the world of the living abruptly. Neji was in front of her waiting. Hiashi, on the other hand was calling her name. She nearly growled. Neji knew she was talking to Mui, why couldn't her father figure it out.

"I was simply thinking hard." Asuma chuckled.

"Really hard, Chibi Hina." She gave him a good natured glare before she turned to him.

"What do you think of helping me discover my element?" Hiashi and Neji looked at her in confusion. Most of the village still didn't know that she was in control of water element.

"If wind is your element, I would be fine with general training, but my fighting style and yours are complimentary, not similar." Hiashi looked at his former teammate.

"Still you know my style well enough to help her start off." Asuma nodded.

"We can do a little this afternoon, but mostly we'll start tomorrow." Hinata nodded.

000

Ten Ten spotted her prey as he entered the forest. She quietly crept after him, not wanting to spook him into finding her. She had known he would be here. She leaped up behind him. Raising the stick that she had grabbed she prepared to rush him. Seeing him slow down, she thought he may have heard something. She made her move, snapping the stick to get his attention and turn him around.

Neji let out an oompf as Ten Ten tackled him in the dense forest. He should have known it was too quiet. He felt her arms cradle his head, protecting it from the impact his back had just suffered. Looking up into her chocolate eyes he tried to regain his breath with her on top of him. It wasn't the easiest task. She was very distracting.

She giggled as he looked at her, trying to control his breathing. She knew that he always had a hard time breathing when they were this close, especialy in such a charged atmosphere. Spreading her legs down, she lay completely on top of him and rested her chin on her hands, which were on his chest.

Neji, after regaining some of his mental capacity, found that she was having way too much fun without him. Placing his hands around her alluring waist, he flipped them over, placing her on her back under him as he stared down at her. He always found it slightly unfair that she could somehow keep her breathing, but he supposed one of them had better. He smiled a small smile and nuzzled her cheek gently.

Ten Ten giggled slightly at the affectionate tickle. She reached up and placed her arms around his shoulders and drew him in for a kiss. A gentle sweeping of the lips from her and suddenly he was ravishing her lips like a man starved. She felt his hands tense under her and lift her waist, melding their bodies together. She pushed her chest against his firm one as she answered his call, each stroke of his tongue, each moan. She panted when they parted. His face went to her shoulder as they lay on the ground breathing hard.

"I missed you, Saiai" Neji's eyes closed. He knew he would crave that name his whole life.

"And I you, Ten Ten." He had told her a long time ago that her name was the best description of her, heaven twice over.

"So, you want to tell me what is going on with Hinata?" She hadn't heard any information from him with regard to his family in a while, and she wanted to know how he was doing with it all. Neji pulled back and smiled a real big smile.

"She asked me to be her second."

000

Asuma and Hinata stood in the middle of a field. it was all grass up to the forest that was its border. Asuma had chosen this place for that reason.

"I didn't want you to be near water." Hinata glanced at him. He chuckled, "Your affinity for water is too great, I think it would interfere with your ability to feel the air. Now basic wind technique starts with a leaf." Hinata held up a simple leaf. Asuma had another. He held it in his hand, closing his other one on top. "Feel the wind, it is part of you. Your task is to use the force of wind to rip the leaf in two. Like this." He showed her his leaf in two clear pieces. Hinata nodded and tried. She felt Mui retreat from her mind in an effort to pull some of the water part of her away. She felt and stretched herself to feel the wind. She felt something but it was faint, and she recognized it a second later as the stream. Water again.

Sighing she opened her eyes.

"I'm still feeling only the water in the area." Asuma frowned as he thought. He had never taught someone with two elements before. He tried to think back to when he had been taught and to apply it to this situation. He remembered his sensei had him do one of his moves. A move that showed the wind side of him. Maybe that would work. he had seen Hinata's new techniques int he hospital over a year ago. The offensive one could work.

"Okay, I have an idea. When I was learning, I had a hard time too. So my sensei had me relate it to a move that was similar to wind. You have a move like that. Use the offensive form of Shugohakke Rokujūyon Shō." Hinata thought about it. It was very different from the Juuken. The Juuken is about hit and block. Her style was a cutting style. The style attatched to Wind.

She closed her eyes and began the move.

"Remember, not with chakra. With wind!" Hinata concentrated. She tried to feel the wind. She pulled. She couldn't find it. She couldn't even find the beginning. Sighing she slumped over, exhausted. Asuma sighed softly. They had been at this for over three hours.

"Lets call it a day. Maybe sleep will bring inspiration." He nodded to her and walked away. Hinata looked down in disgust.

"Sleep never brings this kind of help."

000

Naruto sighed softly as he and Haruka sat in the room set aside for the two of them. Hiroto and Haruka sat in a corner talking softly. Hiroto was interested int he history behind the bijuu. Naruto wanted to take this time to see what had been worrying Hinata all day.

His luck she was alone, though in no mood to be comforted.

000

Hinata wandered through the village. She was having hard time wrapping her head around the idea of a second element. She had felt water since she was old enough to walk. She looked up at the Hokage Mountain sadly. What was she missing? She started the hike up the mountain. She was forgoing dinner tonight, an act that would more then likely send her family into quite the tizzy, but she couldn't bear to go back in failure, again. She was sitting on the monument sadly when Naruto brushed her senses.

He sent a general concerned greeting. She nearly snapped back at him, but her recent failure hung over her head and she couldn't get up the courage even if she could find the anger. She felt his concern even more potent now. She felt Youko add his chakra and Mui add some of hers to Hinata.

**_He won't sense me, and you need to talk to him, Hina-chan._**

_Thank you Mui._

_Hina-chan?_

_Naruto-kun?_

_Are you alright?_She felt his care surround her. She briefly explained and showed him her day. He could feel her irritation and overall depression over her failure, not only to find the element training, but to ever succeed in Juuken.

_Closet-pervert said you were using Juuken, just a different version._

_Closet pervert?_

_He is a pervert, but he doesn't flaunt it like Kakashi and Ero-sennin_

_Ah _Hinata smiled as she reveled in her love's voice. She felt his chakra like a warm blanket

_Hina-chan_, _I have an idea. Stand up._ She did so. She breathed in deeply, contently as she stood practically on top of the world. She felt a gentle breeze. She stretched her arms out and the wind blew around her. She felt Naruto in the air. It was as if he was standing right with her, embracing her. She felt the wind through her hair. She felt his chakra surrounding her and reached out with her's to meld. She felt free and light. Opening her eyes she realized she was the wind, not just a gust, but every movement had a destination, had a feeling. She closed her eyes again, melding with her love and her element.

000

Haruka looked at Naruto as he called his element.

"Not in the room, silly." She formed a shield around him with seals and then returned to talking to Hiroto. He was watching Naruto. He turned to Haruka.

"You've had a mate, ne?" She nodded absentmindedly. "What is it like, having that bond?" She smiled softly.

"It is eternal reassurance and criticism. A buffer for your temper and your self bashing. It is understanding and safety. There is no way to describe the feeling you get with your mate." Hiroto looked back to Naruto.

"No wonder he is so into his meditation." Haruka smiled softly.

"Yes, his bond with his mate, though new, is deep, all the more precious due to his childhood." Hiroto looked down.

"Do you think there's a mate for everyone?" Haruka smiled.

"Yes." She glanced towards the door where Gaara was standing and watching Naruto, listening to their conversation on the side. "Everyone."

000

Neji frowned as he stood in the courtyard. It was dark out, but he wasn't feeling sleepy. Actually he couldn't have been more awake. He turned slightly as he heard foot steps.

"Where is she?" Ten Ten frowned slightly at his worried question. She had come over for dinner. When Hinata hadn't come home for dinner, she had decided to stay until the heiress returned. She and Neji had talked for over two hours today; about them, about Hinata, about the clan, about everything. She had sat on his lap in front of the setting sun and then came home with him for the first time. Hiashi had insisted she stay for dinner as Neji's teammate. Ten Ten rather thought he knew exactly who she was to his nephew but was giving Neji the space and time he needed to tell them himself.

She hugged Neji from behind. He needed the support as he worried over his cousin. His attention was pulled to the front gate as Asuma came through. Neji and Ten Ten went inside to where he was speaking to Hiashi.

"Hiashi I don't think I'm the right person to help her. Beyond the most basic skill, there is little I can do."

"Who do you suggest? There are very few wind users in Konoha."

"That sand woman, Temari. Shikamaru says she uses wind. I remember her fight, her style is right." Neji narrowed his eyes.

"You should be discussion this with Hinata-sama." He was glaring slightly at his uncle, his temper already pushed to its limits by Hinata's absence. "Speaking of which, where is my cousin." Asuma looked at Hiashi in question.

"She isn't here? We called quits over two hours ago." Hiashi shook his head.

"She never came home for dinner." Asuma's eyes narrowed.

"We didn't make any progress, she might be working off some guilt." Neji snarled.

"She could do that in the yard or the dojo, here." Asuma turned back to the chunin.

"Why would she want to. The last few times she has failed, I don't think this was the place she found reassurance." Neji backed off mmediately on that note, Ten Ten placing a hand on his shoulder. Hiashi snarled this time.

"We've changed. We're a family now." Asuma frowned at him.

"Habit is habit. If she is used to feeling this way about a failure, then she will feeling this way about a failure without even noticing it." Hiashi sat back down.

"I just want to know she's okay." Neji started at that statement. He could know. He was so stupid! He turned his back to the room and focused. Feeling along to Naruto, he intruded on the blonde's concentration. Feeling an annoyed jab before a question, he sent his concern and an image of his cousin. He got a feeling of amused annoyance back, along with a reassurance that she was perfectly fine and they were having some much needed time to themselves. He got the underlining message; buzz off and chill out. He smiled. Turning back to the room he saw that Asuma and Hiashi were still speaking in heated turns.

"She's fine." Hiashi looked at him in amazement, followed by Asuma. Ten Ten smiled slightly, but hid it well.

"And how did you reach that conclusion, Nephew." Neji nodded to him.

"My way. She's fine, just taking some time to herself. I think I'll go and make sure Hanabi is in bed." He excused himself, followed by Ten Ten. Hiashi and Asuma just looked at each other.

"Tea?" Asuma nodded amiably and sat down.

000

Hinata smiled contently as she looked over the village int he wind. Glancing down slightly, she saw their spot. Gently she walked down the side of the mountain. When she arrived she found that the pond was indeed full of water and moon made all of it rather surreal. She shed her clothes, confident that only she and Naruto came here at midnight. She stepped on the waters surface with barely a ripple. Drawing an image of herself and the water, she sent her love and feelings of content to her love.

She began her dance, slowly at first, but picking up speed as she got used to the wind. She understood now. She was two parts, the part of her that stayed with her family and valued the traditions, that allowed herself to continue a circle, like the flow in a stream. But there was another part of her, a part that was free, that flew in the direction of her life of her own will, the part that loved Naruto. The water was her family, its tradition, its history, its style, but the wind was her's, her individuality, her kindness and her determination.

She felt Naruto smile at the image she sent to him as her water streams and air streams crossed, interacted, and separated again. Her dance was evolving as surely as she was. Now that she used it, she knew that she had felt it all her life.

She knew this was who she was.

000

Naruto smiled in joy as he opened his eyes. Hinata was heading home and he was ready for bed. He was estatic that he could help the one he loved.

Loved. he wondered when it had become so potent. At first she was his friend. A child love, the care one gives to someone important. She was the only one back then. Then she faded into his subconcious. Always there, barely outside his perception. She was a figment he had used to model his desire for a companion after. Many times when he was younger, he had wondered if he had indeed conjured her out of thin air, just to remember her.

Then during the exams, what Neji said had caught his attention. He had looked at Hinata and seen a spirit being pounded by the forces of society, and he remembered how he had someone when he was young. One person can make someone want to live to their fullest. His encouragement didn't win the battle, but she did win her own war. Her confidence was strong, she had a reason after that. Then when she talked to him before his fight with Neji, he knew, she was a friend he wanted to get to know. She could care about him and he cared about her.

The mission with the beetle was another reminder. Her determination and care was warming him. He had known then, she was a shining light. She was the first person he had ever known that wanted his approval. Him! No one wanted him, yet she did. When she was kidnapped he felt as if fate was trying to steal his life away, again. Why could fate stop messing with him, jerking his puppet strings and seeing which way he'd fall. But he hadn't fallen, or failed. She had been found, safe. Then the worst thing happened. She found out.

She knew what he carried. He hadn't looked at her, he couldn't bare to see her face full of hate, or worse, of fear. But she hadn't hated or feared him. Instead she had welcomed him. She was an angel. An angel he had been idolizing since he was six. Now he could help her. He hoped he would always be able to be there for her.

He nodded to his aunt as she looked up from her scroll. She smiled softly and nodded back. Neither spoke, they had been around each other so much that they didn't have to.

000

Neji looked up as Hinata came in the compound at 1 in the morning.

"Hinata-sama." She smiled and nodded to him.

"I'm sorry I'm late." Neji's eyes softened slightly.

"Hinata-sama, next time could you have him send me a quick message?" She smiled and nodded. "Also, a warning, Uncle is slightly annoyed."

"I figured as much." They walked into the house. Neji didn't need an explanation and Hinata didn't need reassurance. Their oath to each other had ensured that.

000

Naruto stretched to the ceiling as he stood. It was a bright sunny day, perfect for traveling. Of course it was always sunny in the desert, but that didn't dampen his mood. Haruka smiled at his antics. Hiroto was strolling with her as Naruto led the way. Haruka was actually the person who knew where they were going but, Naruto knew that if he went the wrong way, she would point it out. Haruka was enjoying talking with the jubilant suna youth about Suzaku's exploits when he was younger. She had missed talking to people. Sure Naruto was good company but even such close family got sick of each other. Still...

"Oi, have you done your exercised today?" Naruto looked back at her.

"I was actually hoping we could introduce Hiroto to 'our' method of travel today." Haruka raised an eyebrow but smiled. She turned to Hiroto.

"Can you keep up?" He smiled happily.

"Watch me, Hun!" He leaped off as Naruto yipped for joy.

"Onee-sensei's it!" She smiled and leaped after the two of them. The animals stopped in their daily pursuits to see three hyper shinobi laughing and sprinting around the trees in the late morning sun as they entered the forest.

000

Hinata stood in the field. She had been waiting for Asuma for ten minutes. She smiled as he walked up. She could feel it now, the tight contained energy he had in the wind around his body. She glanced his way.

"Well, Chibi Hina, lets get started. Remember the exercise, cut the leaf in half." She smiled. Her talk last night with her father had been tired and brief. So brief, she hadn't told him that she had experienced wind. Also, he hadn't told her he had talked to Asuma last night. Neji relayed that this morning as she was heading out. He was leaving with Hanabi for the Academy at the time.

She closed her eyes and felt for the presense she had come to associate with wind, Naruto. She wasn't looking for him, but for the part of her that craved him. She felt the wind answer her unspoken call. It grew around her gently, caressing her body as it flew through the field in joyous spirit. She coaxed it to raise the pile of leave it had gathered there earlier. The leaves swirls into the air before the wind went on its way. She turned to Asuma's stunned expression and held out a hand.

He looked at her hand in happiness and pride. There in her hand was a single leaf.

Cut perfectly in half.

000

The three shinobi had set up the campsite by the time the three sand siblings had arrived. They looked around the camp in approval as they sat down for dinner. Temari soon spoke.

"So what all is going to happen tomorrow?" Haruka looked up.

"First, before I do, you four should learn my actual name." When she had their attention she continued, "My name is Uzumaki Haruka, I was adopted by Naruto's grandfather when I was six. I am a kunoichi for Konoha that disappeared 16 years ago. I am considered dead in the world of shinobi." She looked at them as they took this in. Kankuro spoke first.

"Dead?" She nodded.

"And I would like to remain that way for another few months." The four looked at each other before all the gazes fell on Gaara. They would go by his decision of the matter.

"We understand." She smiled, and relaxed.

"Then tomorrow, after we have awakened and eaten a large breakfast, except for Gaara-san, I wil preform the seal transfer. I will hold the old seal in the air as I paint the new seal on. My kekkei genkai is how that will be down. Naruto, I want to you to watch the drawing of the seal. You need to learn the seal that is on your stomach. Once the new seal is completed, I will release the old seal and allow the new seal to take over. This is the hard part for us. As the seal activates, Gaara-san will temporarily loose control of his chakra. Naruto, you will stay with him. Talk to him, anything to bring his attention to the present reality. Kankuro you will be behind Hiroto who will use his Bijuu to cover the two of you. I will do something similar with Temari. Gaara, your only goal tomorrow is to keep yourself in the here and now. You have to regain control before Naruto or I run out of chakra. Hopefully we'll sleep through the night afterwards. Any questions?" Her dazed audience shook their heads. "Good, we should head to sleep. Kankuro, of all of us, you will be expending the least chakra tomorrow. Please deal with breakfast and something light for Gaara." Kankuro glanced at his brother hesitantly before nodding. Hiroto watched him in concern as he walked over to his sleeping mat.

"Hiroto?" He turned to Naruto.

"Bushin. I hope tomorrow goes well." Naruto looked at Gaara, who was looking at them, and nodded.

"Me too my friends, me too."

000

Hinata crossed her arms as she listened to her Hokage. She had hoped that her undercover mission had been the end of that person. She had been wrong.

"So you are saying that the creep we busted up was part of a bigger problem?" Tsunade nodded to Kiba as Shino and Hinata watched quietly, though with no less internal turmoil.

"If the bastards were keeping outside the country borders it would be different, but they are starting to expand if they are entering the cities. We've already tried other methods of protection from the group. We have no option left. On top of having several lords requesting their removal, our villages safety now requires it." Shino adjusted his glasses. A motion that told his teammates that he was thinking hard and wasn't pleased with the topic of said thoughts. Hinata bit her lip slightly as she tried to pick apart her own feelings on the matter.

The group was a sleazy organization of men who were trying to earn a profit by conning or all out kidnapping young women and men and turning them into playthings for the highest bidder. The person would spend a day or three with the member of the organization and then, once sufficiently trained, they would be transferred to someplace where the trace of them disappeared permanently. The few that had been found after they had been through this had no memory of their life or name or anything but their current "job". Hinata's team was a tracking team. Their ability to gather information was the reason they were placed together.

"Hinata?" She looked up to see Kiba looking at her in question. Shino was also watching her. She bit the inside of her cheek as she thought.

"Takaki was the mot difficult role I have ever played. She was me, and yet she wasn't." Her voice was quiet, though Tsunade was only person in the room who had a hard time hearing it, Shino and Kiba being used to it. Hinata looked at Tsunade. "Many shinobi give much for what we believe in, for our future. During a mission, we are prepared to give our time, our morals, even our lives. I understood that, but I always thought it would be me doing it." She looked at Shino and Kiba. "This isn't a comfortable mission." Tsunade nodded. She had come to them with this as a request, not an order. She understood their reluctance. She looked up again when Hinata continued.

"But, I understand now." She glanced at Shino and Kiba, both giving the support she needed. They understood and would support her decision. "Takaki is me. She is me giving my personality to the village for a mission. I cannot ignore the responsibilities of my clan. At the same time, I have a responsiblity to this village and to my beliefs. I believe these people need to be taken out." She stood firm as her quiet voice carried conviction. Kiba knelt beside her with Akamaru, Shino stood behind her shoulder, and Hoshi was on her other shoulder. They were a team.

"Thank you." Tsunade smiled, truly thankful for their response. "Then as of this point the three of you are to be considered chunnin elite. During missions involving your counterparts, you will hold the rank of Jounin. Your alias are a personal shinobi secret from this point. You may tell those you trust, however it is only your secret to tell. The only other person allowed to tell your identity is the Hokage, me. Ibiki, Kakashi and Anko will train you in their spare time." Hinata nodded.

They were helping Konoha.

They were becoming Shinobi

They were growing up.

* * *

Hi guys Guess it's another chapter one. I really wanted a one-shot, but... oh well. Feed back please!!!!!!!! I need some help. Am I missing anything, major plot holes? Skimming over confusing part (or a juicy scene)?

Gaara, Temari, Kankuro and Hiroto point of view calls Haruka, Tora becuase she doesn't want anyone to know she's alive, so they don't know her name until they are in the forest.

Tora-tiger

Ichijin-gust of wind also vanguard (front of a military attack)

place+jin-person from "place" (Americajin-American, Francejin-Frenchman/woman)

Kashoku o Terikaeshiteiru-Reflecting a Bright light

From "Three":

Orenji-orange

Uzu-swirl

The mission Hinata is referring to at the end is from Found Family


	2. Not Until We Grow

yayayayayayayayayayayay!

.

_**Disclaimer**_ me own nothing

**Not Until We Grow Do We Begin to Live**

Haruka stood off to one side as she reviewed Naruto's stomach. the normally genki boy was handing the cease in motion with amazing patience. He was worried about his friend. Temari was talking to Gaara quietly as they tried to remain calm. Gaara wasn't actually talking, he was listening to Temari talk about the new students. She was just trying to pass time until Haruka said she was ready. She had wanted to give herself enough time after eating before performing anything too stressful.

Kankuro was doing dishes. He had made breakfast because according to Haruka, he was going to use the least amount of chakra today. He wasn't sure what that meant but he was to preoccupied with his brother's future to try and ask the person who was helping his brother. He didn't notice Hiroto watching him until the Jinchuurki spoke up.

"It'll be fine." Kankuro jumped slightly.

"How do you know that?" Hiroto looked thoughtful as the strained question.

"Because I trust Bushin with my life. And Byaka is supposed to be one of the smartest Bijuu and she's in Haruka an we're in good hands." Hiroto frowned slightly as Kankuro didn't look convinced. He placed a hand on the puppet master's arm. Kankuro looked over at his brother.

"I have watched Gaara all my life. I could help him then." Kankuro was whispering to himself now. Hiroto looked at Gaara, then back. "I want to help Gaara. Not as my Kazekage, but as my brother." Hiroto didn't know what to say. He had known how much Kankuro and Temari cared about Gaara. Gaara valued their presence more then anyone, except maybe Naruto, now that Hiroto saw them near each other. Naruto was talking, well more like yelling, across the clearing at Gaara and Hiroto could tell that it had helped calm the red head. Still, Gaara was sitting next to his sister and Hiroto saw, when Kankuro wasn't looking, that his eyes strayed to his brother constantly.

"Kankuro, I think you help your brother more than even he realizes, just by wanting to." Kankuro looked at Hiroto in question. Hiroto looked down, though he wasn't seeing the ground. "Sometimes the greatest gift is knowing someone wants to help." Hiroto was frowning as he remembered keeping his bijuu a secret and happened directly after people found out. "Having no one is a darkness that everyone wishes to escape. Gaara thanks Naruto for telling him this, but he thanks you and Temari for being here to force the darkness away." Kankuro smiled before he looked back to Hiroto.

"What about your loneliness?" Hiroto started, jerking out of introspective abruptly by the question. He smiled brightly.

"Yeah right. I beat the crap out of that dark ghoul!" He gave Kankuro a giant thumbs up. Kankuro wasn't sure he should believe him but Haruka chose this moment to call everyone over, so he let it slide.

000

Sakura sighed as she healed Hinata's wrist. The heiress was fuming silently on the examination table. Team 8 was working extra hard for some big mission in two weeks and Hinata had extra work on top of that. She had explained to Sakura throughout the course of this examination how she had to re-learn her entire style to incorporate Ebisu's lesson. Between her team's extra practices and her relearning a style in a few weeks that originally took a few years and the counsel meetings, she wasn't able to pursue her own goal with her element. Her style was difficult enough, however, she had to unlearn her current motions and learn new one's with the same intent. The counsel was in a mess as she had arrest several key members not long ago and she had yet to announce her second. her sister and cousin were still in some danger from the counsel until that got resolved and to top it off their is a crazy mission that her team will be going on soon. Hinata was most frustrated.

Sakura winced slightly. Hinata frustrated or angry was different then other people when they were angry. Most people yell or scream or destroy or generally release the emotion. Hinata, after years of burying all her emotions, got quieter as she got more upset. Not that shy quiet though. It was a clipped quiet. Instead of releasing the emotion herself, any water she was melded with became chaotic. Sakura was glad she had as much control as she did, otherwise she would meld with any water within range. Instead only water she was already in contact with was reacting to her unease. Many of her friends considered water her emotional face, since the negative emotions rarely showed on her face, except for self loathing.

Sakura had offered to listen as the heiress explained her annoyances. She had grabbed Ten Ten and asked that she bring Neji to pick his cousin up. She hoped that between the two of them, they could calm Hinata down before the counsel meeting. She needed a clear head for those these days.

Sakura smiled as Neji walked in the room and took Hinata home. The Hyuuga was still spitting nails on the inside, but Neji was prodding her so hopefully he could get some of the emotion released. Sakura sighed and then returned to the front desk to make her report. She handled minor injuries for all her friends right now, in addition to her normal duties in the hospital. Tsunade called it constant review so she didn't forget the basics of healing. Sakura rather thought it was a combination of Tsunade not wanting her to feel left out of her friends group and no one else in the hospital wanting to deal with the group of chunnin.

They had all grown rather close over the last two years or so. They were very protective of each other. The fact that she was part of the group meant that when she was the doctor, they trusted her judgment unequivocally. It helped to not have pesky friends of clients asking questions constantly while a mednin was trying to think themselves. Sakura wasn't sure what the reason was but for all those reasons she was grateful for this particular extra duty.

She smiled as she walked into one of her patient's room. This was and elderly women with some lung problems cause mostly from a fire some time ago. She was a nice woman and had replaced the woman Naruto had known at the orphanage. She handled the children like her own, having lost her husband at a young age without children, she doted on them. How she balanced that with discipline without spoiling those kids rotten was a mystery to Sakura. The orphanage was her life now, for the last five years. She was recovering slowly from the healing Sakura had done. She had cleared out the remaining smoke and fluid and regenerated some of the tissue. She hoped the new tissue was taking but only time would tell.

The room was occupied by another patient, a younger boy. He had just started working with his father at the construction location. His had been hit in the back pretty hard and the damage to his heart was severe. Sakura smiled sadly at him. His heart was working for now, so said the machine next to him, but unless the newly regenerated heart muscle the medics had helped along took, he wasn't going to wake up. The only thing separating the two patients was fate and curtain. Sakura felt bad placing a woman who cared so much about children near one she had to watch in pain. Sakura forced a smile as she greeted the woman.

"How are you feeling today Wakana-san?" The woman smiled at her young doctor. Sakura had taken such good care of her. They had talked many times about her training. She had been training for barely two years and her progress amazed everyone but herself. Wakana knew that children must often find their own way to grow and learn. She knew Sakura would find it eventually.

"I am doing fine, but you, Sakura-chan, seem to be slightly upset." Sakura sighed, she should have known that a woman who had dedicated the rest of her life to watching children grow would read her like a book.

"I am fine Wakana-san. Here, let me check on your lungs." Wakana hmmed noncommittally as she lay back. As Sakura scanned the woman's lungs she started to talk some. She felt at home with Wakana. It helped them both, Sakura to have someone here to talk to, not involved in medicine, and Wakana to have interaction, since the children could very well run around the hospital. They were being taken care of by a younger friend of Wakana's. She had brought them in once, but they had been too upset so the two women agreed to wait until Wakana felt better.

"I'm simply worried about a friend. I think she's doing too much, but at the same time, all of these things she has to do are important." Wakana smiled.

"Perhaps she will learn that she needs to simplify?" Sakura shook her head.

"Your new lung tissue hasn't all taken yet. I'll heal it some more tomorrow if there is still no improvement." Wakana nodded as she sat up against the head of her bed again.

"Thank you."

"She can't simplify. She was born into all of these responsibilities." Wakana knew that what seemed like a duty was often a choice that a persons personality made them refuse to back down from. Everyone had to find their own way through that.

"Then all you can do is be here to catch her as she falls asleep, then help her wake up the next morning." Sakura smiled at Wakana. She loved talking to this woman.

"Thank you, Wakana-san"

000

Haruka stood behind Gaara.

"All right. Gaara, you will have to remove your shirt so I can have access to your seal. The new seal will be placed in the same place as the old one. Naruto, I want you to pay attention while I'm setting up the transfer. You can learn something about layered seals. However, when I actually do the transfer, the real battle will begin. Gaara, when I make the actual transfer all of your control will disappear momentarily and both Shukaku and the seal will attempt to suck your mind in with Shukaku. This is the most difficult part of this seal for you. Naruto will be talking to you and trying to bring you back to the present, but you have to try to find it yourself. Remember your friends, your village, your family; you must regain control. Kyuubi's chakra will spring up automatically to protect Naruto while he helps you. I will bring Byaka's up to protect myself and Temari, meaning that you, Temari, must remain directly behind me. Hiroto, you need to do a similar thing wth Kankuro. The chakra Gaara will be given of is dangerous to normal humans. Only a Jinchuuriki's body has adapted to it. Everyone clear?" They all nodded, Kankuro joining Hiroto in front of Gaara and Temari going with Haruka behind Gaara. Gaara removed his shirt and Haruka activated her Kekkei Genkai.

"Alright. Naruto watch. The first step in this process is to raise the seal off his skin. This is accomplished by our Kekkei Genkai." The seal glowed and seemed to double itself. A second later Naruto realized that the very wind was moving and forming the seal in the air above the original.

"Now cancel out the seal still on the skin. Gaara you might feel slightly dizzy at this point." Gaara nodded, not moving as much as he was able. Haruka took her brush and drew to parallel lines on the upper left and lower right corner then connected them through the middle. Naruto nodded recognizing the cancel for an active seal from his lessons. Once canceled the seal wipped off easily with her ink towel. Then she started to draw.

"THis is the tricky part that you are currently trying to learn. My chakra is holding the original seal mid-air in place while my attention is actually on the seal I'm currently drawing. You seal is a four layered seal. With layered seals, remember that the lowest and the highest layers are always the simplest. To draw a layered seal, you draw the first layer and then activate it with your ink brush still in the seal." The seal briefly flashed along with her brush and the ink still on it. After the flash, the seal faded until it couldn't be seen except for five dots.

"Those dots are the only part of the lowest layer that can be seen until the highest layer is drawn. Every layered seal has some portion of its lowest layer remain until the last layer in order to ensure that the layers are exactly on top of each other. I repeat this process with the middle layers." Naruto watched as she drew two very complicated layers and as they both disappeared as she activated them.

"Now once the last layer is drawn, I will have to activate it and release the original with the activation being a mere moment ahead of the release. If the activation is after the release the Bijuu will spill out. If the seal is activated to long before the release the combination could damage Gaara's chakra system. Gaara when I say 'Now' I will perform the final part of the transfer. Naruto, you need to go to Gaara now." Haruka focused all of her energy on the two seals as she prepared her self.

"Now!"

000

Sakura huffed in annoyance. Her shift was supposed to end an hour ago. However, several nurses had called in sick and the hospital had asked that she stay a little longer. She was tired, so much so that she feared she was becoming dangerous as a doctor. Two years of training and she had learned that tired mistakes are often costly. She sighed and downed a cup of coffee. The caffeine would buy her another two hours full functioning. She would think straight, but then she would crash. She sighed as she walked towards Wakana's room with another nurse. She had to update the boy's chart and the nurse had to change his IV.

They both froze as a wave of chakra washed over them briefly. It paralyzed their minds and bodies for a moment before they felt fine. Glancing at each other they hurried to their patients' room. All around other doctors were doing a similar panic.

Both patients were asleep as they walked in, well Wakana was asleep, the boy was still comatose. Sakura checked through his readings and noticed that his heart rate was higher. She hoped that was a good sign. If it was because the heart was recovering then it was great, but if it was because-

Just as that thought ran through her mind the heart monitor showed a jump in rate. Too much of one.

"Saki, call another nurse in here with the Defib!" Sakura placed her clipboard down and rounded the bed. She activated a scan without even thinking about it. The heart was refusing some of the new tissue. She gritted her teeth as nurses filed into the room. One pulled the chair away and lowered the bed to the normal position. One set up and machines. Another was on monitor duty. Sakura was calling out instruction as her mind raced.

"Where is the normal doctor?"

"He left for home 15 minutes ago. He said he would stop in the market on the way. There's no way he'll be there for another hour." Sakura cursed. She was only barely qualified for this.

"Prepare for defib and tissue regen. We can't move him so its happening here. Someone find me another mednin!" She quickly started to pull her chakra out of its reserves and mold it for the tissue regeneration process. His heart was fluttering like a bird in his chest as the defib sent a shock through his system. Sakura started to remove the partially refused tissue when another problem grabbed her attention.

"Sakura-chan! Wakana-san. She's going into a seizure." Sakura glanced up from her work momentarily and cursed this happening at such a time. She glanced around as her mind raced through the people currently at the hospital. Even if they could find a doctor in time, there were most likely none free who could regenerate either heart or lung tissue except her, especially if more of the patients were reacting this way. It required immense control and the chakra of a shinobi to regen tissue. It was a specialty, not a common practice. She cursed whatever gods were watching this and turned to one of the nurses.

Hana was learning the art of regeneration, but she had been at it a mere month or two. She couldn't regenerate lung tissue, much less that of a beating heart. Still, they had to do something or the would loose them both.

"Hana, go to Wakana-san. Saki remove the curtain. Hana I need you to listen very carefully. You are going to save that woman's life." Hana had turned white while Sakura had spoken.

"But..But I can't regenerate anything yet!" Sakura gritted her teeth as another cell or four of the heart beneath her hand refused to cooperate.

"You are a medical person! No else here can save her life. Choose Hana! Why are you in this hospital! Why are you learning to become a doctor? Make your choice now!" Hana blanched at the tone before looking down. She had looked up to Sakura. Sakura's schooling had moved forward in half the time a skilled mednin's did. She firmed herself. She was here to help people. If Sakura thought she could do it, then she would try at least.

"What do I do?" Sakura smiled quickly as she focused. Hana was correct when she said she couldn't regen, but she could use her chakra.

"Hana, start a regular scan of the patients lungs and identify the problem. Nurse Fior, Nurse Natsume assist her." Sakura finally got the heart tissue to stop rejecting anymore of the new tissue, but she needed to regenerate more of it. She had to keep her mind on what she was doing as she talked Hana through her idea almost mechanically. Luckily no one interrupted them or she would have been hard pressed to keep her focus.

"Integrate your chakra with the cells that line the lung. Slowly force them to accept your chakra and push the oxygen into them. Add some of your chakra to the diaphragm and force it to take slow, longer motions. Keep her oxygen flowing. In and Out. In and Out. Match your own breath to that mantra. In. Out. In. Out." Sakura let the mantra go as a nurse picked it up. If Hana could keep that going Wakana would stay breathing while Sakura stabilized the boy's heart. He should have enough tissue now and it was taking for the moment. Sighed and slumped slightly before turning to Wakana's bedside.

"Keep going Hana." Sakura integrated her chakra with Hana's and smoothed it out. She scanned for damage and what she found was disheartening. She pulled herself together and reknitted the lung. She regened enough tissue to hold and told Hana to remove her chakra. When Sakura was sure Wakana was breathing on her own again, She too removed her presence.

Sakura sighed in relief. Both her patients were alive.

000

The change was immediate. Temari fell back slightly with the force of the chakra now swirling form her brother's body before it was pulled into the seal. Haruka was in front of her. She could practically see the chakra radiate off the woman. Haruka thrust out her hands as a whirlwind of sand sprung up around Gaara. It was only a meter or so tall, but it was windy. Temari saw Hiroto and Kankuro grab each other's wrists to keep themselves grounded. Naruto seemed to be fine in the eye of that twist as he shouted to Gaara, trying to reach her brtoher wherever his mind had gone. She concentration on her body, trying to will him to be alright.

Temari's attention shifted back to Haruka abruptly when the woman stumbled a little, though she managed to stay on her feet. Upon a closer look, she could see that Haruka was panting hard as she kept her hands up running interference. She looked determined. Even she seemed to realize she was tiring too fast, for she called out to Naruto.

"Naruto, I have to summon Byaka to help. Can you hold the wind for a few moments?" Temari saw Naruto nod through the wnd and then take on a look of concentration. Haruka released her hold to summon her Bijuu to this plane. The difference between teacher and student was immediate. The wind rose, both in height and in speed. Temari felt herself being blown back and across the clearing she saw the same of Hiroto and Kankuro.

A poof signified Byaka arrival and the wind calmed some as Haruka took over again. Naruto nodded and continued to try and reach Gaara. Temari looked at Haruka as she and the white tiger fought the wind to keep it from blasting them all away.

"What is happening to the wind?" Haruka gritted her teeth.

"Both the Bijuu and the Jinchuuriki's elements are spiraling out of control. The combination of Shukaku's wind and Gaara's earth is trying to create a sand storm. I'm calming the wind as much as I can." Temari looked at her brother. The wind was sucking the air from the center if it didn't slow down more soon.

"Let me help." Haruka looked at her in minor surprise, before nodding. Form behind Haruka's chakra, Temari reached out and blended with her element. At first she could seem to help at all.

"You are too upset and unsure. You have to get your own emotions under control first." Temari gritted her teeth as she remembered the lessons from so long ago. She reached inside herself for a calmness that hope brings and let it settle over the chaotic wind in the air. As she did so she felt Haruka falter even more. Haruka was looking at Hiroto and Kankuro closely.

"Hiroto!" The jinchuuriki dragged his eyes from his Kazekage to the woman. "Can you mold your chakra to Kankuro's skin?" Hiroto nodded slowly. Haruka thought a moment before grabbing Naruto's attention.

"Naruto, we need more help with the wind. Kankuro will keep trying to reach Gaara. Hiroto, you have to keep your chakra around him skin tight." Naruto nodded and he and Kankuro and Hiroto switched places.

For an hour the four wind users fought Gaara's wind as Kankuro tried desperately to reach his brother. There was a point when unconsciousness seemed to beckon Haruka, but she remained standing. In that moment when she lost her focus, Temari discovered just how much of the wind Haruka had been taking on. It was easily twice the size of what she and Naruto were handling. When the Wind finally died down, Kankuro caught Gaara.

"Is he alright?" Temari came forwards anxiously as Kankuro checked him.

"He's alive." Temari sighed in relief as Naruto sank to his knees in exhaustion, followed by Hiroto. Temari was actually barely standing herself. She turned to Haruka just as Haruka smiled and then toppled forward, giving in to the urge to faint from exhaustion. Her bijuu caught her a laid her down gently. Naruto was next to her in an instant.

"Onee-sensei! Byaka, is she alright?" Byaka nodded her great head.

"**The combination of the seal and the fight afterwards was too much. The seal itself should have taken her life.**" Temari looked up in question at this.

"**This seal currently requires more chakra then a person can produce to activate. Usually it drains the person's life chakra as well as their usable chakra. Since she could draw on my chakra, however, it simply tired her out."**

"I thought bijuu's chakra was nearly unlimited?" Byaka smiled sadly at Kankuro.

"**Her body can only handle so much of my chakra at one time. We did our best. I'm going to return to her so I can help her recover. I suggest those of you who actively participated in the chakra portion of this fiasco should sleep as well.**" The great white tiger disappeared with that, leaving the four of them staring at where it had been.

"I don't know about you, but I agree. Wake me when Gaara does." Hiroto sighed as he plopped down behind Kankuro, who was laying Gaara down. Naruto nodded and after covering his aunt, he too lay down and fell into a deep sleep. Kankuro nodded to Temari and she joined them, more exhausted then ever. Kankuro kept watch.

000

Sakura sighed as she sat on the swing outside the academy. The village had pretty much returned to normal at this point. It had been hectic for a while there. After she had stabilize her patients she had exited the room to be tagged by another nurse. Then another. Then she was snagged as a shinobi. Then Tsuande finally found her. Whew! No one had figured out what that weird chakra was but Sakura hoped it was gone. She was just now getting off for the evening. It was close to dinner time and she had gone in to work at 2 AM. Still...she didn't feel like sleeping. She had asked a nurse to deliver the news to Wakana-san. She couldn't bare it. She had failed.

Wakana's lungs were breathing on their own, but the seizure had opened a hole in one lung. Sakura had regenerated the tissue and she would have to continue the treatments for a while, but, Wakana could never make a full recovery. Her left lung would be half the size it was originally. She would have to give up running the orphanage on her own. Maybe with help she could, but she would still tire easily. Sakura felt tears burn in the back of her eyes as she thought of how hopeful the woman had been. And how Sakura had let her down.

She was trying to decide what her next move was when a shadow fell over her. She looked up to see Ino.

"There you are." Ino huffed then dropped to the ground in front of her. She looked around. "Why did you come here?" Sakura was sitting in the swing in front of the academy. Sakura wasn't sure why she was here. She remembered that Naruto had always sat here in the past.

"Maybe I was looking for his strength." Ino looked at her friend. She had a vague idea of which "he" to which Sakura was referring.

"So, what happened?" Sakura sighed.

"Ino, turn off the psychologist please. I'm not in the mood." Ino shook her head.

"Psycho-babble off, girly friend on! Now what happened?" Sakura sighed. She slowly explained the situation that she had been faced with and what had been the result. Ino looked skeptical.

"I see." She looked thoughtful a moment. "So would you have rather the boy died and Wakana-san be perfectly healthy?"

"Yes!..No...I don't know!" Sakura looked down completely lost. Ino reached up for her.

"If this is still the action you want then why the hell are you here doing this instead of finding a decent dinner?" Sakura glanced at Ino.

"Is this how you handle all your patients?" Ino glowered at her in good humor.

"If I did this to any of my patients, Ibiki-sensei would have my hide." She shuddered. She looked down, thoughtful.

"Wakana-san didn't seem that depressed when I talked to her." Sakura's head spun towards her friend as Ino continued. "I was looking for you and I heard the entire story, including the results from Nurse Saki. Wakana was awake and looking at the boy you saved. When I asked her if she knew where you had gone she didn't know. But I'll tell what she did say."

------------------_Flashback_------------

"Sakura-chan saved that young boy today." Wakana was smiling at the young boy. She sighed and turned to Ino. "Sakura-chan is so sensitive to what others feel. It makes her a very good doctor, but I'm afraid it also is a burden." Wakana looked at Ino. They had met a few times through Sakura and Wakana saw them as sisters similar to some of her children at the orphanage. "I hope she is alright." Ino nodded.

"Ino-chan, I want you to know something. I'm glad Sakura did what she did." Ino looked at her startled. "She saved that young boys life." Ino looked at her.

"But you-"

"Ino-chan, I have spent the last five years of my life helping children. I intend to spend the rest of my life doing so. What Sakura-chan did wasn't just what she should do, it is what I needed her to do as well. I take care of children. In a small way I feel as if she knew that I needed her to care more for that boy then for me. I have never met a better doctor. Or a nicer girl then Sakura-chan."

----------------------_End Flashback_------------------

Ino looked up at Sakura as her friend sat on the swing, thinking.

"Ino, what if someday, I can't make that choice? What if when I can't make it, I loose them both?" Ino looked over the sunset.

"Won't happen." Sakura looked at Ino in shock.

"Of course it could. I work with shinobi. Many of my friends get injured at once. I-" Ino shushed her with her hand.

"I meant being unable to make a choice." Sakura looked at her in confusion. "When you are in "doctor" mode you don't realize it, but all you think about is possible solutions. Identities and reasons don't enter your line of thought. That's how I know you will never not make a decision. The only problem you have is what to do afterwards." Ino looked at the sunset as Sakura thought.

The sunset was beautiful that night.

000

Haruka rolled over and groaned. She hadn't felt this sore since the last time she went head to head with Kakashi. She sat up slowly.

"Tea?" She looked up at Temari. Kankuro and Hiroto were sitting over by the fire talking quietly. Gaara was laying behind them and Naruto next to her. She took the tea gratefully and drank before her mouth felt wet enough to use again.

"How is everyone?" Temari smiled slightly.

"Naruto is fine. He woke up about three hours ago, ate something then went back to sleep. He meditated for a brief moment in there too. Hiroto and I have been awake for about four hours now. Gaara woke up briefly about twenty minutes ago, but all that happened was him searching out everyone with his eyes before he fell right back asleep. I think he's okay. he hasn't been having his normal nightmares so..." Haruka nodded in understanding and thanks. She rose gently, careful of over-used muscles. She wandered over to the campfire and sat with the Suna three to wait for the other jinchuuriki to awaken. Also, she was hungry.

000

Naruto stretched loudly as he felt the sun top the trees to glare at him. He hated that about the mornings. Looking around the campfire, he noticed Haruka writing in a tree off to one side. Temari was sitting next to Gaara, or she probably had been before she feel asleep. Now she was leaning of to her right against a tree. Someone, probably Haruka, had placed a blanket over her. Gaara was resting peacefully. Kankuro and Hiroto were also asleep on the other side of the fire. Hiroto had himself stretched closer to the fire. If he wasn't careful he'd burn that shirt. Naruto silently rose and walked over to his sensei.

Haruka nodded to her student before returning to her writing. Naruto gently settled down in front of her, glad he had eaten when last he was awake. He pulled himself in and focused, looking for the special feeling he had come to associate with his friends. Instead of immediately visiting Hinata or Neji, Naruto briefly checked on Sasuke and Sakura. Sasuke was most likely asleep from the alternation between relaxation and exhilaration. Probably dreaming some. Sakura was definitely awake. Her emotion was steady. But there was a tremor to it, as if she was afraid, not terrified, but hesitant. Naruto reached down the path instinctively in his need to help a friend. He only got so far before he hit the barrier that was her mind. Without her help, he couldn't cross it.

He placed his mental hand against it. He was surprised when it gave some. He pushed harder, trying to break through.

**Hold it, Kit.**

_Why?_

**You are creating the bond on your own. **

_Huh?_

**Remember when Haruka created a bond between you two? Without your assistance? That is what you are doing. Once the bond is made it cannot be broken. Think before you do this.**

Naruto backed off slightly as he thought. It would be great to have a full bond with Sakura, but would she think so. She already thought he was annoying. He shook his head. Without her here to talk to, he wouldn't make that decision. He would just have to wait.

He pulled himself completely from the barrier. Gazing back towards it, he sent all his thoughts of hope, happiness, and care down it before turning to Neji. Hinata seemed asleep and with the amount of frustration he had felt from her yesterday, before he had had Kyuubi block it some, he thought it best that she sleep.

Neji seemed to be in a tired mood himself. He was sitting next to Hinata's bed right now. Naruto got the feeling he hadn't gotten much sleep. A wry thought came his way of a wave of foriegn chakra that had swept the land for a brief moment causing all sort of havoc. Hinata had been upset before that, afterwards she had been nearly impossible for anyone but her team to work with. Neji had asked Kiba about it, since Shino seemed on edge, but all Kiba woud say was that she was simiply crowded. Naruto and Neji weren't sure what to make of that. They talked for a while about the clan. Neji brought Naruto up to date on the counsels current standing, with 5 idiots still in membership.

Naruto said a farewell whenhe felt a tug from Haruka's bond. Pulling himself back to the here and now, he saw Takamaru staring at him.

"He landed a few minutes ago. Jiraiya will be waiting." Naruto looked at Haruka.

"Of course. I would rather wait until Gaara wakes up though."

"I am awake." Naruto's head spun to see Gaara on the other side of him. He was sitting enjoying the sunrise. Looking back, he saw that Hiroto was also awake, but both siblings slept on.

"Yo, morning." Hiroto's half-whisper as he rearranged Kankuro to not roll into the fire without him banking the slope and then came over. Naruto had to wonder how close they had been sleeping.

"Looks like Jinchuuriki are all early risers." Naruto smiled. Hiroto chuckled as he sat down in front of Naruto and Gaara. Haruka smiled at the group.

"We slept deeply, it only makes sense that our instinctive clock would wake us instead of our learned ones. We slept a healing sleep. How do you feel Gaara?" Gaara was looking over the forest as the sun's rays kissed the tops of the trees.

"Alive." Naruto and Hiroto smiled widely. Haruka nodded. They weren't sure how Shukaku had fared yet, nor would they know for another few days. Naruto wouldn't be around for the news either. He and his sensei had to leave in a few moments to catch up with the sennin. But for now, the four jinchuuriki enjoyed the sunrise. Each felt something extraordinary. The feeling of being with people that understand you.

It was a good feeling.

000

Sakura sighed heavily. She looked at the chart in her hand and the name on the door of the room she was in front of. This was a patient she had failed for the moment. She had done her best, but it wasn't good enough. She had known that there would come a time when people would suffer from what she couldn't do, even die. She thought she had been prepared. She knew know she hadn't been. But she was a Konoha shinobi. She would get past this.

She looked up to see her sensei gazing at her from down the hall. Ino had talked to her. Tsunade wasn't going to interrupt her student, but she was here for Sakura all the same. Sakura took in her sensei's pride and her confidence that everything would be fine. She took a deep breath and felt a well of hope and care from within her that she couldn't identify. All these emotions swirled together to create courage. Sakura turned and opened the door to the room.

"Good morning Wakana-san. How are you feeling today?"

Life has its up and life has its downs. When you are down you just look around. Tomorrow's sunrise will greet a new day.

Life

Growth

Rebirth

* * *

Hi guys, This isn't exactly how I imagined it, but I think it works. This finishes Wheel of Change, but by now you guys are probably aware that the series continues. Please send feedback

Title-play on the quote "Not until we are lost do we begin to understand ourselves" ~Henry David Thoreau

Wakana-harmony+complete/play music

Fourth to last line: form Pixars Boundin plus some messing lol

Ja Ne


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